Chargers take volleyball win over St. Mary's

The St. Mary’s volleyball team lost 1-3 to Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Oct. 1 in Sleepy Eye.

The St. Mary’s volleyball team lost 1-3 to Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Oct. 1 in Sleepy Eye.

The Knights showed how well of a hitting team they were from the first couple of points in the first set. St. Mary’s switched up their attacking style multiple times to keep the Chargers guessing at the net. Senior Deonna Brinkman had multiple kills and blocks which helped lead the Knights to a 25-18 first set win.

The second set was a tight one. Both teams fought hard to regain the momentum and control of the game, as the score was tied multiple times. The teams seemed about even, as there was great serving, passing, and communication on both sides. After a 26-26 tie, the Chargers won two in a row and took set two 28-26.

St. Mary’s hit the ball well to begin the third set, but MVL jumped ahead after it scored a few points in a row and took control from there on. The Knights struggled to get anything going and gave the Chargers a few points through errors. MVL took set three 25-15.

The fourth and final set was an interesting one. St. Mary’s exploded with dominance to start the set as it got an 11-1 lead. Becca Schmitz won a few points in a row just by herself with some perfect blocks. As all was looking good for the Knights, a huge momentum switch took place as the Chargers made an offensive run of their own and cut the lead to only three. MVL apparently did not want to play a fifth set, as the team stepped it up offensively and eventually tied the set at 17-17. All of a sudden, it was St. Mary’s who was behind and was trying to fight back as the Chargers won even more points in a row. The momentum for MVL didn’t stop there, as the team won 25-20 in the fourth set.

Schmitz had 13 kills and seven blocks to lead the Knights, while Brinkman had eight kills and Bethany Berkner had 24 assists.